MULTIPLE SPRAY DEVICES FOR AUTOMOTIVE AND OTHER APPLICATIONS

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to fluid handling processes and apparatus. More particularly, this invention relates to a fluid flow device that is suitable for use in liquid-gas applications such as the distribution of cleaning fluids to wash automotive windshield, headlamp and rear windshield surfaces.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

[0002] Automotive windshield, headlamp and rear windshield cleaning applications need an optimum distribution of cleaning fluid spread over forth above and overcoming the disadvantages identified with prior art devices and methods. critical areas to be cleaned in order for adequate cleaning to be accomplished, with or without the aid of wiper action. This task of achieving uniform distribution of cleaning fluid has not been easy for a number of reasons, including the complexity and changing nature of such automotive surfaces. Over the years, automotive designs have involved varying shapes, sizes and inclinations of the windshields and headlamps.

[0003] Reference may be made to some examples from the prior art devices for such automotive cleaning tasks. These are reported in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,975,431 to Harita et al., 6,354,515 to Matsumoto & Tamano, and 6,082,636 to Yoshida et al. and others that involve various single orifice, washer nozzles that issue steady jets of liquids into gaseous environments. Nozzles such as these all have potential problems with uniformity of the distribution of cleaning fluid since they all have sprays emitted from the nozzles that impinge on limited area of the glass and then depend on the wiper to spread the fluid. In some cases, puddling of fluid can occur and result in wiper blade lifting. In other instances, there may not be enough wetting of the surfaces before a wiper sweeps across the surface to complete the cleaning process. In still other situations, nonuniformity of spray distributions result when the spray does not impact on the targeted areas due to the spray's interactions with the air passing around a moving vehicle.

[0004] This situation has been substantially improved in recent years by using several types of spray nozzles that issue spatially oscillating, rather than steady, jets of liquids into gaseous environments. Spray nozzles of this type are referred to herein as being "fluidic" nozzles. The improvements they provide center around the fact that the centerlines of the sprays that issue from them oscillate from side to side so that their sprays wet a much larger surface area than can be wetted by the spray from a non-oscillating, steady jet See U.S. Patent Nos. 4,508,267 and 5,749,525 to Stouffer, 5,971,301 to Stouffer & Heil, 6,186,409 to Srinath and 6,253,782 to Raghu.

[0005] Such fluidic nozzles have been very successful in a wide variety of cleaning applications, including automotive. This success is due to the nature of the sprays issuing from such nozzles - they are oscillating sprays or jets of fluid that sweep back and forth, and which can cover a wide area of the automotive glass to achieve uniform cleaning fluid distribution and prewetting of the to-be-cleaned surface.

[0006] Also, such fluidic nozzles can be engineered to yield some unique capabilities. For example, they can be engineered to yield spray drop distributions that have significantly larger-size, fluid drops than conventional nozzles. These larger size drops allow the targeted areas to be more quickly wetted than with conventional nozzles, providing such fluidic nozzles with improved high-speed, cleaning performance. However when such sprays are aimed higher to compensate for the spray depression occurring at high speeds, overspray over the sides may result. These nozzles can also be engineered to provide sprays having specified, nonuniform fluid droplet distributions (e.g., sprays having a larger percentage of their droplets near the outer edges of the spray's distribution).

[0007] U.S. Patent No. 6,062,491 to Hahn, which shows the preamble of claim 1, combines two fluid nozzles into a single housing or stem that is mounted in front of an automotive surface to be cleaned. This combination yields two independently-operating, diverging fluid sprays that are reported to be capable of wetting a wider surface area. Such combinations of fluid nozzles into a single housing for cleaning purposes are also seen in U.S. Patent No. 4,185,777 to Bauer, (see elements 31 and 40 in FIG. 3), 4,390,128 to Fujikawa (see FIG. 3A), 4,516,288 to Fizyta (see element 22 in FIG. 1), and 4,520,961 to Haeber (see FIG. 5).

[0008] Experiments with the invention of Hahn using various fluidic nozzles have revealed several problems whose solutions are not disclosed in Hahn's U.S. Patent No. 6,062,491. These include fluid leakage problems around the fluidic chips that are inserted into automotive housings of the kind that are used to mount single fluidic nozzle for automotive windshield, headlamp and rear windshield cleaning applications. This result is not surprising since it is well known in the fluidic nozzle industry that sealing the housings around such nozzle inserts can be problematic, especially when the sealing task is compounded by having twice as much surface area to seal due to a second chip having been molded into the nozzle insert. Because of the comparatively high fluid pressures desired to be used in such dual, fluidic nozzle configurations, such chips have been actually spit from their housings due to the large pressures built up on the surface of the nozzles.

[0009] Thus, despite the prior art, there still exists a continuing need for fluid nozzles that can provide a desired distribution of fluid over larger surface areas.

3. OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

[0010] There has been summarized above, rather broadly, the prior art that is related to the present invention in order that the context of the present invention may be better understood and appreciated. In this regard, it is instructive to also consider the objects and advantages of the present invention.

[0011] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved fluidic spray device that utilizes multiple nozzles in a single housing to provide a desired distribution of fluid over a large surface area.

[0012] It is another object of the present invention to provide such an improved fluidic spray device without having this device have the magnitude of fluid leakage problems that are currently associated with such devices.

[0013] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such an improved fluidic spray device that is easy to manufacture and install in its required housing.

[0014] It is still another object of the present invention to provide such an improved fluidic spray device that is especially well suited for uniformly distributing cleaning fluids to wash automotive windshield, headlamp and rear windshield surfaces.

[0015] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved fluidic spray device that will eliminate the problem of the sprays from current fluidic nozzles being swept over the hoods and the sides of cars that are traveling at high speeds.

[0016] These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent as the invention is better understood by reference to the accompanying summary, drawings and the detailed description that follows.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Recognizing the need for the development of improved fluidic spray devices that utilize multiple nozzles in a single housing to provide a desired spray distribution, the present invention is generally directed to satisfying the needs set forth above and overcoming the disadvantages identified with prior art devices and methods.

[0018] In accordance with the present invention, the foregoing need can be satisfied by providing a flow insert having the features of independent claim 1. A preferred embodiment is thus comprised of the following elements: (1) a body member having top, bottom, front and rear outer surfaces, (2) top and bottom fluidic circuits located, respectively, at least partially within the member's top and bottom surfaces, wherein each of these circuits has at least one power nozzle, an interaction chamber, and an outlet whose exit lies within the member front surface, (3) the bottom fluidic circuit having a portion of its surface area located upstream of the power nozzle and adapted so that it can mate with a fluid inlet tube that supplies fluid to the insert, and (4) an inter-circuit flow passage that allows fluid to flow from the bottom fluid circuit to the top fluid circuit, the bottom end of this passage located such that it is downstream of the point where the inlet tube mates with the bottom circuit and upstream of the bottom circuit's power nozzle, with the top end of this passage located upstream of the top circuit's power nozzle.

[0019] In another preferred embodiment, the present invention takes the form of a fluidic device. Its elements include: (1) the fluidic insert described above, (2) a housing having a cavity configured to receive the fluidic insert, with the cavity having surfaces adapted to mate with a portion of the outer surfaces of the insert so as to prevent fluid leakage from these mated surfaces, the housing also having a housing tube that allows fluid to flow from an inlet at the lower end of the tube and into the cavity, (3) a check valve that is located within the housing tube, and (4) an elbow that connects to the lower end of the housing tube.

[0020] Thus, there has been summarized above, rather broadly, the present invention in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood and appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of any eventual claims to this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] 

FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2(a)-(c) shows a preferred embodiment for a fluidic insert of the present invention which has two circuits of the "mushroom oscillator" type.

FIG. 3 shows a fluidic insert aligned for insertion into the housing's cavity.

FIGS. 4(a)-(c) show a fluidic insert which has its inter-circuit flow passage located at a downstream point that is closer to the power nozzles and which now has sufficient free surface area on the insert's top side to allow for the inclusion of an alignment slot and sites for contact with a molding machine's ejector pins.

FIGS. 5(a)-(b) demonstrate one of the spray patterns achievable on an automotive windshield using two preferred embodiments of the present invention that have dual, fluidic circuit inserts.

FIG. 6 illustrates a dual spray fluidic nozzle of the present invention which has top and bottom "mushroom" circuits and a "cover plate" applied to each circuit.

FIG. 7 illustrates a dual spray fluidic nozzle of the present invention which has top and bottom, "mushroom" type circuits which have a "second interaction chamber and an island" disposed downstream of the circuit's standard exit.

FIGS. 8(a)-(b) illustrate a dual spray fluidic nozzle of the present invention which has top and bottom circuits in which a notch or channel has been cut in a portion of the outer edge of the exits of each of these circuits.

FIG. 9 illustrates a dual spray fluidic nozzle of the present invention for a windshield application and the spray pattern achieved by utilizing a "yawed" fluidic circuit in the top of the insert and a conventional fluidic circuit in the bottom of the insert.

FIGS. 10(a)-(c) show a preferred embodiment for a fluidic insert of the present invention which has a linking passage between the interaction chambers of its upper and lower fluidic circuits.

FIGS. 11(a)-(b) show preferred embodiments for a fluidic insert of the present invention which have linking passages between the interaction chambers of their upper and lower fluidic circuits.

FIGS. 12(a)-(b) illustrate the prior art applicable to a check valve of the type that would have been considered for use with the present invention.

FIGS. 13(a)-(b) illustrate the prior art applicable to the mating surfaces of the housing and the elbow which come together to form the housing-elbow joint which surrounds the check valve which sits in the fluid passage which is partially formed by this joint

FIGS. 14(a)-(b) illustrate a preferred embodiment of the check valve for use with the present invention.

FIGs. 15(a)-(b) illustrate a preferred embodiment for the mating surfaces of the housing and the elbow which are suitable for use with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0022] Before explaining at least one embodiment of the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0023] A preferred embodiment of the fluidic device of present invention is shown in FIG. 1. It is seen to consist of: (a) an automotive housing 10 of the type that is conventionally used to mount and align fluidic nozzles to clean windshields, (b) a check valve 12, consisting of a uniquely designed piston 12a and a spring 12b, which connects at the check valve's downstream end to the inlet of the housing flow tube 14, and at its upstream end to an elbow 16 which directs fluid into the check valve, and (c) a fluid flow insert 18 that is inserted into a cavity 20 that has been especially configured in the housing so as to receive the insert and form a fluid-tight seal around the insert. Also shown in FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the interior surface of the housing where the tops of the four posts of the piston contact the housing's interior surface.

[0024] FIGS. 2(a)-(c) shows a preferred embodiment for a flow insert that is suitable for use with the present invention. This insert 18 is of the fluidic or oscillating type and includes a substantially rigid body member 22 having a top 24 and a bottom 26 outer surface. This member is preferably molded or fabricated from plastic, which is slightly deformable when subjected to compression forces exerted substantially normal to its outer surfaces. Fluidic circuits 28, 30 are fabricated respectively into the top and bottom outer surfaces. These circuits take the form of flow passages that are recessed from the respective top and bottom surfaces and molded into the member 22 so as to yield predetermined flow paths for the fluid flowing through the inserts.

[0025] There are many different and well known designs of fluidic circuits that are suitable for use with the fluidic inserts of the present invention. Many of these have some common features, including: at least one power nozzle 32 configured to accelerate the movement of the liquid that flows under pressure through the insert, an interaction chamber 34 through which the liquid flows and in which the fluid flow phenomena is initiated that will eventually lead to the flow from the insert being of an oscillating nature, and an outlet 36 from which the liquid exits the insert. The fluidic circuits of FIG. 2 are somewhat unique in that they have filter posts 40 that are located upstream of the power nozzles. The purpose of these posts is to filter any larger diameter debris particles that are contained in the liquid flowing through the insert before these particles clog either the downstream power nozzles or the circuit's outlet.

[0026] The inserts of the present invention also have an inter-circuit flow passage 42. This passage serves to allow liquid to flow from the bottom fluidic circuit 30, which is fed by flow from the housing's feed tube, to the insert's top fluidic circuit 28 at a point upstream of the circuits' power nozzles.

[0027] In one example not claimed, this flow passage is aligned so that it lies directly above the centerline 43 of where the housing's feed tube mates with the insert's bottom surface so as to allow liquid to flow into the insert's bottom circuit. Such a passage location presumably provides for a minimum pressure differential between the driving forces in the top and bottom fluidic circuits. See FIG. 3 which demonstrates a fluidic insert being inserted into the housing's cavity.

[0028] FIGS. 4(a) - 4(c) show a top (a), a cross-sectional (b) and a bottom (c) view of a fluidic insert which, like that shown in FIG. 3, has a preferred, alternative location for the insert's inter-circuit flow passage 42. In this embodiment, this flow passage 42 is seen to not be aligned with the centerline of where the housing's feed tube mates with the insert's bottom surface. Rather, it is located at a downstream point that is closer to the power nozzles 32. The advantage of this location is seen in the ease with which such inserts may be molded and manufactured. Additionally, this location makes it possible to filter the fluid passing thru the insert by placing a filtering means, such as the appropriately spaced posts shown in FIG. 4, in only the bottom fluidic circuit.

[0029] For example, in the manufacture of such fluidic devices, it is advantageous to have a slot or groove 44 on the fluidic insert that can be used by the device's assembly machinery to grasp and align the fluidic insert 18 when it is being inserted into its housing (i.e., provides an error proof way to ensure the proper orientation of the inserted fluidic). Also, in the process of molding these inserts it is advantageous to have certain large surface area regions 46 on the outer surfaces of the insert where the relatively large, ejector pins of the molding equipment can make contact with the insert without getting in the way of the fluidic circuits that share the insert's outer surface.

[0030] For fluidic inserts that contain a fluidic circuit on only the bottom side 26 of the insert 18, this need for an alignment slot and ejector pin contact sites is not a problem since these may be located on the top side of the fluidic insert.
However, with the dual circuit insert shown in FIG. 2, this is a problem since the fluidic circuit on the top side of the insert consumes a significant part of the surface area of the top side.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows that, for an insert 18 which has its inter-circuit flow passage 42 located at a downstream point that is closer to the power nozzles 32, there is now sufficient free surface area on the insert's top side to allow for the inclusion of an alignment slot 44 and sites 46 for contact with a molding machine's ejector pins.

[0032] A wide range of fluidic circuits have been found to be useful in the present invention for providing adequate uniform fluid distribution over geometrically diverse surface areas. For example, various combinations of fluidic circuits can be used in a single fluidic insert.

[0033] Additionally, it has been found that in some applications for the inserts disclosed herein, it may be beneficial for these inserts to have multiple, fluid flow circuits that yield sprays which are not oscillatory in nature. The appropriate design for the steady state, flow circuits that be used in this application are found in the patent literature. These include combinations of various steady state sprays, including the so called "gourd type" (see U.S. Patent No. 5,975,431), the "T-jet type" (see U.S. Patent No. 6,354,515), and various single jet devices. Similarly, one of these steady state spray circuits can be used in combination with one of the fluidic circuits disclosed herein.

[0034] Such combinations have been found to allow for different liquid flow rates, fan angles, and spray alignments in the individual sprays of the various combinations. For example, FIG. 5(a) and 5(b) demonstrate the type of spray distribution that can be achieved on an automotive windshield when two washer housings are mounted on an automobile's hood, with each of these housings contain a fluidic insert that has different fluid circuits embedded in its top and bottom surfaces. The upper fluidic circuit 28 in the insert 18 is seen to issue a smaller, horizontal, fan angle spray, φ_u, while the lower fluid circuit 30 issues a larger, horizontal, fan angle, φ_l.

[0035] These sprays are also seen to have centerlines that are definable in terms of their orientations above a horizontal plane located in the plane of the housing. The upper spray centerline defines a vertical spray angle γ_u, while the lower spray centerline defines a vertical spray angle γ_l, with the included vertical angle between these spray centerlines being defined as γ_u-l. In addition to their centerlines, such sprays can be characterized by the amount of vertical spread that is seen in a spray as it gets further from its point of origin on the insert's front face. We quantify this vertical spread as the "thickness" of the spray and define it by the angle of spread of the spray, θ, see FIG. 5.

[0036] Because of the proximity of the centerlines of these sprays as they issue from the exits of their respective fluidic circuits, the dual fluidic inserts of the present invention provide heretofore unexplored opportunities for creating novel and efficient fluid flow phenomena which has many industrial applications. For example, for windshield and headlamp washer applications, extensive research was undertaken to identify specific fluidic circuits that would yield improved operational and windshield cleaning performance in the fluidic inserts of the present invention.

[0037] To wet a typical size, automotive windshield (i.e., 1,600 mm wide, 1,000 mm tall) using the present invention, two, double spray fluidic nozzles can be used, with each being mounted 280 mm from the windshield's centerline and 180 mm in front of the windshield. Each nozzle has a fluidic insert in which the flow paths of the top and bottom fluidic circuits (which are of the "mushroom" type, see U.S. Patent No. 6,253,782) are angled away from each other so as to give a vertical included angle of 2-3 degrees in the resulting sprays, with each spray having a thickness of 1-2 degrees. These angles are seen to give sufficient spray spreading in the vertical direction so as to adequately wet the full heigth of this windshield.

[0038] For applications requiring greater spray spreading (e.g., the nozzles are to be mounted closer to the windshield, or the windshield is taller), it has been found that it is possible to place a "reverse" taper in the floor of these circuits to achieve spread or vertical included angles of 4-6 degrees. See U.S. Patent No. 5,749,525 for a disclosure of such "reverse" taper, fluidic circuits.

[0039] For applications such as headlamp washers, much greater spray spreading angles (i.e., 10-20 degrees) are needed, along with better than the normal amount of wetting that is typically seen in the interaction region between the sprays. As a result of extensive experimentation using various embodiment of the present invention, a number of ways have been discovered for satisfying these needs. Some of the more pertinent of these are discussed and shown below.

[0040] FIG. 6 illustrates a dual spray fluidic nozzle of the present invention which has top and bottom "mushroom" circuits and a unique type of "cover plate" applied to each circuit. The use of "cover plates," 48 commonly known as "fliptops," is generally disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,845,845. For the present application, it was discovered that it is beneficial to provide a taper to the downstream end of these cover plates so as enhance the spreading of the sprays which issue from them. For a 9 degree taper in each cover plate and a similar 9 degree taper in the floors of the fluidic circuits near their exits, it was found that spray included angles of approximately 18 degrees could be achieved.

[0041] FIG. 7 illustrates another dual spray fluidic nozzle of the present invention which has top and bottom, "mushroom" type circuits which have a "second interaction chamber and an island" disposed downstream of the circuit's standard exit. The use of a fluidic circuit having a "second interaction chamber and an island" 50 is generally disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,860,603. For the present application, it was discovered that the flow from this type of a circuit when placed in close proximity to the flow from an adjoining circuit yields significant interaction between the sprays that result in their rate of spreading being greatly enhanced. Spray included angles of up to 50 degrees have been achieved with these types of fluidic circuits being used in the present invention.

[0042] FIGS. 8(a)-(b) illustrate yet another dual spray fluidic nozzle of the present invention which has top and bottom circuits in which a notch or channel 52 has been cut in a portion of the outer edge of the exits of each of these circuits. It was discovered that these notches led to flow interactions which resulted in the spray's rate of spreading being increased. Spray included angles of 10-15 degrees have been achieved with such fluidic circuits in the present invention.

[0043] In addition to providing greater, more diverse means for achieving improved wetting of targeted surfaces, the present invention also offers the means for achieving spatial distributions of spray patterns that are totally impossible with conventional, single spray nozzles. For example, FIG. 9 for a windshield application shows a spray pattern that has been achieved by utilizing the present invention with a "yawed" fluidic circuit in the top of the insert and a conventional fluidic circuit in the bottom of the insert. See U. S. Patent No. 6,240,945 for a disclosure of such how one achieves such "yawed" fluidic circuits. In this application, the top spray is seen to have its centerline deflected (or "yawed") by approximately 5-10 degrees towards the driver's side of the windshield.

[0044] It has also been discovered that the types of spray patterns that can be achieved by such fluidic inserts can be further expanded by providing a linking passage 54 between the interaction chambers 34 of the upper 28 and lower 30 fluidic circuits, thereby allowing the flows within these chambers to interact. See FIGS. 10 and 11. This interaction has been found to yield oscillating spray distributions from the top and the bottom of the insert that can be synchronized so as to yield oscillating sprays that can be totally in-phase or totally out-of-phase. For example, tests of the fluidic insert shown in FIG. 11(b) reveal that its upper and lower sprays are totally in phase, while those of the insert shown in FIG. 11(a) are totally out-of-phase.

[0045] The problem of leakage in the prior art fluidic devices, especially those having inserts with multiple fluidic circuits, has been greatly reduced in the present invention by making a number of inventive modifications to these devices. For example, as a result of much experimentation, it was found that the use of polycarbonate-PBT plastic in making the fluidic inserts and the housing allowed for the fabrication of more precise mating surfaces between the fluidic insert's outer surface and the contact or sealing surfaces 21 of the housing's cavity. With the use of this plastic it was found that the propensity, in the parts molding process, for the creation of undesirable molding sinks is greatly reduced, especially in the contact surfaces of the housing's cavity.

[0046] Additionally, it has been discovered that leakage around the check valve 12 and in the assembly joint between the housing and the elbow could be significantly reduced as a result of a redesign of the check valve and the portions of the housing 10 and elbow 16 that surround it. FIGS. 12(a)-(b) shows a sample of the prior art applicable to this area for an automotive housing which utilizes a fluidic insert having a fluidic circuit on only its bottom surface. In this prior art, the check valve is seen to consist of a spring, a piston and a seal. FIGS. 13(a)-(b) shows the contact or sealing or mating surfaces of the housing and the elbow which come together to form the housing-elbow joint which surrounds the check valve which sits in the fluid passage which is partially formed by this joint.

[0047] A preferred embodiment of the present invention's improvement in this area is shown in FIGS. 14(a)-(b) and FIGS. 15(a)-(b). The check valve 12 of the present invention is seen to make the task of assembling the spring-piston combination much simpler since the spring now sits in a cavity 12aa that has been configured in the top portion of the piston 12a to accommodate the spring 12b. Due to the configuration and favorable length to diameter ratio of this piston, the spring is retained within it with no cocking during assembly and welding.

[0048] By comparing FIGS 13 and 15, it can be seen that the housing wall thickness of the present invention, compared to that shown in the prior art, is greater and the surfaces to be joined are flatter allowing for better welding. Additionally, the top of the top of the present invention is flat and larger in contact area than that of the prior art elbow shown in FIG. 12. This allows for better

[0049] transfer of welding energy and greatly reduces the difficulty of welding these parts. Higher welding strength can be achieved in the parts of the present invention and the percentage of parts that have to be scrapped due to fabrication defects is greatly reduced. An additional improvement in the design of the present are the four fluid passages around the piston, instead of two in the prior check valve shown in FIG. 12, which results in fewer problems with valve clogging.

[0050] As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.

[0051] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A flow insert that receives fluid under pressure from a fluid inlet tube (14) and generates a specified spatial distribution of the fluid exiting said insert(18), said insert comprising:

a body member(22) having top(24), bottom(26), front and rear outer surfaces, a first flow circuit(28) located within said member,

a second flow circuit(30) located within said member,

wherein each of said flow circuits having a nozzle(32) and an outlet(36) downstream from said nozzle with the exit from said outlet lying within said member front surface,

said second circuit(30) having an inlet portion located upstream of said nozzle and adapted so that it can mate with a fluid inlet tube(14) that supplies fluid to said insert,

an inter-circuit flow passage (42) that allows fluid to flow from the second, flow circuit(30) to the first flow circuit (28), wherein the top end of said passage (42) is located upstream of said first circuit nozzle and characterised in that the bottom end of said passage (42) is located such that the bottom end is downstream of said point where said inlet tube(14) mates with said second circuit(30) and upstream of said second circuit nozzle.

2. A flow insert as recited in Claim1, wherein said flow circuits are chosen from the group consisting of steady state flow circuits and fluidic circuits.

3. A flow insert as recited in Claim 1, wherein said first flow circuit located at least partially within said member top surface, and said second flow circuit located at least partially within said member bottom surface.

4. A flow insert as recited in Claim1, further comprising:

an alignment means located in the top surface of said insert(18).

5. A flow insert as recited in Claim 3, wherein
said flow circuits are fluidic circuits,
each of said fluidic circuits having at least one power nozzle (32), an interaction chamber (34) downstream of said nozzle, an outlet (36) downstream from said interaction chamber (34) with the exit from said outlet lying within said member front surface,
said bottom circuit (30) having a portion of its surface area located upstream of said power nozzle and adapted so that it can mate with a fluid inlet tube (14) that supplies fluid to said insert (18), and
said insert further having an inter-circuit flow passage (42) that allows fluid to flow from the bottom fluidic circuit (30) to the top (28) fluidic circuit, the bottom end of said passage (42) located such that the bottom end is downstream of said point where said inlet tube (14) mates with said bottom circuit (30) and upstream of said bottom circuit power nozzle, the top end of said passage (42) located upstream of said top circuit power nozzle.

6. A flow insert (18) as recited in Claim 5, further comprising:

a linking passage (54) that connects the interaction chambers of said circuits.

7. A flow insert (18) as recited in Claim 5 further comprising:

an alignment means located in the top surface of said insert.

8. A flow insert (18) as recited in Claim 7, wherein the distance between the bottom end of said inter-circuit passage (54) and said point where said inlet tube (14) mates with said bottom circuit (30) is adapted so as to accommodate the location of said alignment means in said top surface (24).

9. A flow insert (18) as recited in Claim5, wherein:

said insert (18) is molded from plastic, and

said distance between the bottom end of said inter-circuit passage (54) and said point where said inlet tube (14) mates with said bottom circuit (30) is adapted so as to accommodate the location of contact points (46) with the ejector pins that are used in molding said insert (18).

10. A flow insert (18) as recited in Claim 8, wherein:

said insert (18) is molded from plastic, and

said distance between the bottom end of said inter-circuit passage (54) and said point where said inlet tube (14) mates with said bottom circuit (30) is further adapted so as to accommodate the location of contact points (46) with the ejector pins that are used in molding said insert (18).

11. A flow insert (18) as recited in Claim5, wherein:

said bottom fluidic circuit (30) having a filter means located between said point where said inlet tube (14) mates with said bottom circuit (30) and said bottom circuit power nozzle.

12. A flow insert (18) as recited in Claim9, wherein the plastic from which said insert is molded from polycarbonate-PBT.

13. A flow insert as recited in Claim3, wherein:

said first flow circuit(28) lies proximate said top surface of said body member(22) and said second flow circuit(30) lies proximate said bottom surface of said body member, and

said flow circuits further having a first interaction chamber834) located between said nozzle and outlet.

14. A flow insert as recited in Claim 13, wherein:

said first flow circuit(28) being configured so as to yield a spray having a specified horizontal fan angle, and

said second flow circuit(30) being configured so as to yield a spray having a horizontal fan angle that is larger or smaller than that of said specified horizontal fan angle of said first flow circuit.

15. A flow insert as recited in Claim 13, wherein:

said flow circuits being configured so that the centerlines of said first and second flow circuits angle away from each other a specified amount so as to give a prescribed vertical included angle between the fluid sprays that flow from said circuits.

16. A flow insert as recited in Claim13, wherein:

the floor of said first flow circuit(28) being configured proximate said outlet to have a reverse taper, and

the roof of said second flow circuit(30) being configured proximate said outlet to have a reverse taper.

17. A flow insert as recited in Claim 13, further comprising:

a top cover plate configured to cover and adjoin the roof of said first flow circuit(28), said plate having a taper in its thickness proximate said plate's downstream end.

18. A flow insert as recited in Claim 13 or 17, further comprising:

a bottom cover plate configured to cover and adjoin the floor of said second flow circuit(30), said plate having a taper in its thickness proximate said plate's downstream end.

19. A flow insert as recited in Claim 13, wherein:

said flow circuits further having a second interaction chamber with an island, said second chamber being located downstream of said first interaction chamber and before said outlet.

20. A flow insert as recited in Claim 13, wherein:

the roof portion of said first flow circuit outlet having a notch of specified dimension.

21. A flow insert as recited in Claim 13 or 20, wherein:

the floor portion of said second flow circuit outlet having a notch of specified dimension.

22. A flow insert as recited in Claim 13, wherein:

said first flow circuit being configured so that the fluid spray that exits from it has a prescribed yaw angle with respect to the centerline of said circuit.

23. A flow insert as recited in Claim 13, wherein:

said second flow circuit being configured so that the fluid spray that exits from it has a prescribed yaw angle with respect to the centerline of said circuit.

24. A flow insert as recited in Claim 13, further comprising:

a linking passage that connects said first interaction chambers of said circuits.

25. A fluidic device that receives fluid under pressure from a fluid inlet tube (14) and generates a specified spatial distribution of the fluid exiting said device, said device comprising:

a flow insert (18),as claimed in any one of the preceding claims,

a housing (10) having a cavity (20) configured to receive said fluidic insert (18), said cavity having surfaces adapted to mate with a portion of the outer surfaces of said insert so as to prevent fluid leakage from such mated surfaces, said housing having a housing tube (14) that allows fluid to flow from an inlet at the lower end of said tube and into said cavity,

wherein said insert (18) having:

a top fluidic circuit (28) located at least partially within said top surface,

a bottom fluidic circuit (30) located at least partially within said bottom surface,

wherein each of said fluidic circuits having at least one power nozzle (32), an interaction chamber (34) downstream of said nozzle, an outlet (36) downstream from said interaction chamber (34) with the exit from said outlet lying within said member front surface,

said bottom circuit (30) having a portion of its surface area located upstream of said power nozzle and adapted so that it can mate with the top end of said housing tube (14) that supplies fluid to said insert, and

an inter-circuit flow passage (42) that allows fluid to flow from the bottom fluid circuit (30) to the top fluid circuit (28), the bottom end of said passage (42) located such that the bottom end is downstream of said point where said top end of said housing tube (14) mates with said bottom fluidic circuit (30) and upstream of said bottom circuit power nozzle, the top end of said passage (42) located upstream of said top circuit power nozzle.

26. A fluidic device as recited in Claim25, further comprising:

a check valve (12) that is located within said housing tube (14).

27. A fluidic device as recited in Claim 26, further comprising:

an elbow (16) that connects to the lower end of said housing tube (14).

28. A fluidic device as recited in Claim25, further comprising:

a linking passage (54) that connects the interaction chambers of said circuits.

29. A fluidic device as recited in Claim25, further comprising:

an alignment means located in the top surface (24) of said insert (18).

30. A fluidic device as recited in Claim28, wherein the distance between the bottom end of said inter-circuit passage (54) and said point where said inlet tube (14) mates with said bottom circuit (30) is adapted so as to accommodate the location of said alignment means in said top surface (24).

31. A fluidic device as recited in Claim 25 wherein:

said insert (18) is molded from plastic, and

said distance between the bottom end of said inter-circuit passage (54) and said point where said inlet tube (14) mates with said bottom circuit (30) is adapted so as to accommodate the location of contact points (46) with the ejector pins that are used in molding said insert (18).

32. A fluidic device as recited in Claim30, wherein:

said insert (18) is molded from plastic, and

said distance between the bottom end of said inter-circuit passage (54) and said point where said inlet tube (14) mates with said bottom circuit (30) is further adapted so as to accommodate the location of contact points (46) with the ejector pins that are used in molding said insert (18).

33. A fluidic device as recited in Claim25, wherein:

said bottom fluidic circuit (30) having a filter means located between said point where said inlet tube (14) mates with said bottom circuit (30) and said bottom circuit power nozzle.

34. A fluidic device as recited in Claim 31 wherein the plastic from which said insert (18) is molded from a polycarbonate-PBT plastic.

35. A method for making a fluidic insert (18) that receives fluid under pressure from a fluid inlet tube (14) and generates more than one spray of fluid exiting said insert, said method comprising the steps of:

molding a member (22) having top, bottom, front and rear outer surfaces,

molding a top fluidic circuit (28) located at least partially within said top surface,

molding a bottom fluidic circuit (30) located at least partially within said bottom surface,

wherein each of said fluidic circuits having at least one power nozzle (32), an interaction chamber (34) downstream of said nozzle, an outlet (36) downstream from said interaction chamber (34) with the exit from said outlet lying within said member front surface,

said bottom circuit (30) having a portion of its surface area located upstream of said power nozzle (32) and adapted so that it can mate with a fluid inlet tube (14) that supplies fluid to said insert, and

molding an inter-circuit flow passage (42) that allows fluid to flow from the bottom fluidic circuit (30) to the top fluidic circuit (28), wherein the top end of said passage (42) located upstream of said top circuit power nozzle and characterised in that the bottom end of said is passage located such that the bottom end is downstream of said point where said inlet tube (14) mates with said bottom circuit (30) and upstream of said bottom circuit power nozzle.

36. A method for making a fluidic insert as recited in Claim 35, further comprising the step of :

molding a linking passage (54) that connects the interaction chambers of said circuits.

Ansprüche

1. Strömungseinsatz, welchem unter Druck durch ein Fluideinlassrohr ein Fluid zugeführt wird, und der eine spezifische räumliche Verteilung des Fluids erzeugt, welches aus dem Einsatz ausgestossen wird, wobei der Einsatz enthält:

einen Körper (22), der eine obere (24), eine untere (26), eine vordere und eine hintere Aussenfläche aufweist,

einen im genannten Körper gelegenen ersten Strömungsweg (28),

einen im genannten Körper gelegenen zweiten Strömungsweg (30),

bei dem jeder Strömungsweg eine Düse (32) und einen stromabwärts gelegenen Auslass (36) aus der genannten Düse aufweist, dessen Ausgang in der genannten vorderen Fläche des Körpers liegt,

wobei der zweite Strömungsweg (30) einen Einlassbereich aufweist, der stromaufwärts von der genannten Düse gelegen und so eingerichtet ist, dass er ein Fluideinlassrohr (14) aufnehmen kann, welches dem Einsatz das Fluid zuführt,

einen Verbindungskanal (42) der Strömungswege, der eine Strömung von Fluid vom zweiten Strömungsweg (30) zum ersten Strömungsweg (28) ermöglicht, wobei das untere Ende dieses Verbindungskanals (42) derart gelegen ist, dass das untere Ende stromabwärts von demjenigen Punkt liegt, an dem das genannte Einlassrohr (14) im genannten zweiten Strömungsweg (30) mündet, sowie stromaufwärts von der genannten Düse des zweiten Strömungswegs (30), und wobei das obere Ende des genannten Verbindungskanals stromaufwärts von der Düse des genannten ersten Strömungsweges liegt.

2. Strömungseinsatz nach Anspruch 1, bei dem die genannten Strömungswege aus der Gruppe von Strömungswegen kontinuierlicher Strömung und strömungsmechanischen Strömungswegen ausgewählt sind.

3. Strömungseinsatz nach Anspruch 1, bei dem der genannte erste Strömungsweg mindestens teilweise in der genannten oberen Fläche des Körpers und der genannte zweite Strömungsweg mindestens zum Teil in der genannten unteren Fläche des Körpers gelegen ist.

4. Strömungseinsatz nach Anspruch 1, der weiterhin ein Richtelement aufweist, welches sich in der oberen Fläche des genannten Einsatzes (18) befindet.

5. Strömungseinsatz gemäss Anspruch 3, wobei die Strömungswege Fluidströmungswege sind,
jeder der genannten Fluidströmungswege mindestens eine Leistungsdüse (32), eine Wechselwirkungskammer (34) stromabwärts von der genannten Düse, und einen stromabwärts von der genannten Wechselwirkungskammer (34) gelegenen Auslass (36) aufweist, dessen Ausgang in der genannten vorderen Aussenfläche liegt, und
ein Teil der Fläche des genannten unteren Fluidströmungswegs (30) stromaufwärts zur genannten Düse gelegen und derart ausgebildet ist, dass er ein Fluid-Zuleitungsrohr (14) passend aufnehmen kann, welches dem genannten Einsatz (18) ein Fluid zuführt, und
wobei der Einsatz einen Verbindungskanal (42) der Strömungswege aufweist, der eine Strömung von Fluid vom unteren Fluidströmungsweg (30) zum oberen Fluidströmungsweg (28) zulässt, wobei das untere Ende des genannten Verbindungskanals (42) derart angeordnet ist, dass es stromabwärts von dem genannten Punkt liegt, an dem das genannte Einlassrohr (14) mit dem genannten unteren Fluidströmungsweg (30) zusammenläuft, sowie stromaufwärts von der Leistungsdüse im genannten unteren Fluidströmungsweg, und wobei das obere Ende des genannten Verbindungskanals (42) stromaufwärts von der Leistungsdüse im genannten oberen Fluidströmungsweg liegt.

6. Strömungseinsatz (18) nach Anspruch 5, der weiterhin einen Verbindungsdurchgang (54) aufweist, welcher die Wechselwirkungskammern der genannten Strömungswege miteinander verbindet.

7. Strömungseinsatz (18) nach Anspruch 5, der weiterhin ein Richtelement enthält, welches sich in der oberen Fläche des genannten Einsatzes befindet.

8. Strömungseinsatz (18) nach Anspruch 7, bei dem der Abstand zwischen dem unteren Ende des genannten Verbindungsdurchgangs (54) und demjenigen Punkt, an dem das genannte Einlassrohr (14) in den genannten unteren Strömungsweg (30) eintritt, unter Berücksichtigung der Lage des Richtelements in der genannten oberen Aussenfläche (24) angepasst ist.

9. Strömungseinsatz (18) nach Anspruch 5, bei dem der genannte Einsatz (18) aus einem Kunststoff geformt ist, und bei dem der Abstand zwischen dem unteren Ende des genannten Verbindungsdurchgangs (54) und demjenigen Punkt, an dem das genannte Einlassrohr (14) in den genannten unteren Strömungsweg (30) eintritt, derart gewählt ist, dass die Lage von Berührungspunkten (46) an diejenige von Auswerferstiften, die beim Spritzgiessen des genannten Einsatzes (18) entstehen, angepasst ist.

10. Strömungseinsatz (18) nach Anspruch 8, bei dem der genannte Einsatz (18) aus einem Kunststoff gegossen ist, und bei dem der Abstand zwischen dem unteren Ende des genannten Verbindungsdurchgangs (54) und demjenigen Punkt, an dem das genannte Einlassrohr (14) in den genannten unteren Strömungsweg (30) eintritt, derart gewählt ist, dass die Lage von Berührungspunkten (46) an diejenige von Auswerferstiften, die beim Spritzgiessen des genannten Einsatzes (18) entstehen, angepasst ist.

11. Strömungseinsatz (18) nach Anspruch 5, bei dem der genannte untere Strömungsweg (30) ein Filtermittel aufweist, welches sich an einer Stelle zwischen dem genannten Punkt, an dem das genannte Einlassrohr (14) im genannten unteren Strömungsweg (30) mündet, und der genannten Leistungsdüse im unteren Strömungsweg befindet.

12. Strömungseinsatz (18) nach Anspruch 9, bei dem der Kunststoff, aus dem der genannte Einsatz geformt ist, aus Polycarbonat-PBT (Polybutylenterephthalat) besteht.

13. Strömungseinsatz nach Anspruch 3, bei dem der genannte erste Strömungsweg (28) nahe der genannten oberen Fläche des genannten Körpers (22) und der zweite Strömungsweg (30) in der Nähe der genannten unteren Fläche des genannten Körpers liegt, und die genannten Strömungswege eine erste Wechselwirkungskammer (34) aufweisen, welche zwischen der genannten Düse und dem Ausgang angeordnet ist.

14. Strömungseinsatz nach Anspruch 13, bei dem der genannte erste Strömungsweg (28) derart ausgestaltet ist, dass er einen Spray liefert, der einen vorbestimmten horizontalen Öffnungswinkel besitzt, und der genannte zweite Strömungsweg (30) derart ausgestaltet ist, dass er einen Spray abgibt, welcher einen horizontalen Öffnungswinkel aufweist, welcher grösser oder kleiner ist als der vorbestimmte horizontale Öffnungswinkel des Sprays aus dem genannten ersten Strömungsweg.

15. Strömungseinsatz nach Anspruch 13, bei dem die genannten Strömungswege derart ausgebildet sind, dass sich die Mittellinien des genannten ersten und zweiten Strömungswegs um einen vorbestimmten Betrag im Winkel voneinander entfernen, so dass ein vorbestimmter vertikaler Winkel zwischen den Fluidsprays eingeschlossen wird, die aus den genannten Strömungswegen austreten.

16. Strömungseinsatz nach Anspruch 13, bei dem der Boden des genannten ersten Strömungsweges (28) in der Nähe des genannten Auslasses mit einer negativen Abschrägung versehen ist, und bei dem die Abdeckung des genannten zweiten Strömungsweges (30) in der Nähe des genannten Ausganges mit einer negativen Abschrägung versehen ist.

17. Strömungseinsatz nach Anspruch 13, welcher weiterhin eine obere Abdeckplatte aufweist, die zwecks Abdeckung auf den oberen Teil des genannten ersten Strömungsweges (28) aufgesetzt ist, wobei die genannte Platte in ihrer Dicke in der Nähe des stromabwärts gelegenen Endes der genannten Platte mit einer Abschrägung versehen ist.

18. Strömungseinsatz nach Anspruch 13 oder 17, welcher weiterhin eine Grunddeckplatte besitzt, die so eingerichtet ist, dass sie am Boden des genannten zweiten Strömungsweges anliegt und diesen abdeckt, wobei die genannte Platte in ihrer Dicke in der Nähe des stromabwärts gelegenen Endes der Platte eine Abschrägung aufweist.

19. Strömungseinsatz nach Anspruch 13, bei dem die genannten Strömungswege weiterhin eine zweite Wechselwirkungskammer mit einer Insel aufweisen, wobei diese genannte zweite Kammer stromabwärts zur genannten ersten Strömungskammer und vor dem genannten Auslass angeordnet ist.

20. Strömungseinsatz nach Anspruch 13, bei dem der obere Bereich des Auslasses des genannten ersten Strömungsweges eine Einkerbung mit einer vorgegebenen Dimension aufweist.

21. Strömungseinsatz nach Anspruch 13 oder 20, bei dem der untere Bereich des Auslasses des genannten zweiten Strömungsweges eine Einkerbung mit einer vorgegebenen Dimension besitzt.

22. Strömungseinsatz nach Anspruch 13, bei dem der genannte ersten Strömungsweg so ausgestaltet ist, dass der Fluidspray, der aus ihm austritt, einen vorbestimmten Scherwinkel in Bezug auf die Mittellinie des genannten Strömungsweges aufweist.

23. Strömungseinsatz nach Anspruch 13, bei dem der genannte zweite Strömungsweg so ausgestaltet ist, dass der Fluidspray, der aus ihm austritt, einen vorbestimmten Scherwinkel in Bezug auf die Mittellinie des genannten Strömungsweges aufweist.

24. Strömungseinsatz nach Anspruch 13, der weiterhin einen Verbindungsdurchgang aufweist, der die genannten ersten Wechselwirkungskammern der beiden Strömungswege miteinander verbindet.

25. Strömungstechnische Vorrichtung, welcher unter Druck durch ein Fluideinlassrohr (14) ein Fluid zugeführt wird und die eine spezifische räumliche Verteilung des Fluids erzeugt, welches aus der Vorrichtung austritt, wobei die genannte Vorrichtung enthält:

einen Strömungseinsatz (18), gemäss einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche,

ein Gehäuse (10) mit einem Hohlraum (20), der zur Aufnahme des genannten strömungstechnischen Einsatzes (18) eingerichtet ist, wobei der genannte Hohlraum Flächen aufweist, die mit einem Teil der Aussenflächen des genannten Einsatzes derart zusammenpassen, dass ein Ausströmen von Fluid zwischen diesen passenden Flächen verhindert wird, und wobei das Gehäuse ein Gehäuserohr (14) aufweist, durch welches die Einströmung von Fluid von einem Einlass am unteren Ende dieses Rohres in den genannten Hohlraum ermöglicht wird,

worin der genannte Einsatz (18) aufweist:

einen oberen Fluidströmungsweg (28), der zumindest teilweise in der genannten oberen Aussenfläche verläuft,

einen unteren Fluidströmungsweg (30), der zumindest teilweise in der genannten unteren Aussenfläche verläuft, wobei

jeder der genannten Fluidströmungswege mindestens eine Leistungsdüse (32), eine Wechselwirkungskammer (34) stromabwärts von der genannten Düse, und einen stromabwärts von der genannten Wechselwirkungskammer (34) gelegenen Auslass (36) aufweist, dessen Ausgang in der genannten vorderen Aussenfläche des Körpers liegt,

ein Teil der Fläche des genannten unteren Fluidströmungsweges (30) stromaufwärts zur genannten Düse gelegen und derart ausgebildet ist, dass er mit dem oberen Ende des genannten Gehäuserohrs (14) zusammen passt, welches dem genannten Einsatz das Fluid zuführt, und

einen Verbindungskanal (42) der Strömungswege aufweist, der eine Strömung von Fluid vom unteren Fluidströmungsweg (30) zum oberen Fluidströmungsweg 28 zulässt, wobei das untere Ende des genannten Verbindungskanals (42) derart angeordnet ist, dass es stromabwärts vom genannten Punkt liegt, an dem das genannte Gehäuserohr (14) im genannten unteren Strömungsweg (30) mündet und das obere Ende des genannten Verbindungskanals (42) stromaufwärts von der genannten Leistungsdüse im oberen Fluidströmungsweg liegt.

26. Strömungstechnische Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 25, welche weiterhin ein Rückschlagventil (12) aufweist, welches sich im genannten Gehäuserohr (14) befindet.

27. Strömungstechnische Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 26, welche weiterhin ein Knie (16) aufweist, das in Verbindung mit dem unteren Ende des genannten Gehäuserohrs (14) steht.

28. Strömungstechnische Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 25, welche weiterhin einen Verbindungsdurchgang (54) besitzt, der die Wechselwirkungskammern der genannten Strömungswege miteinander verbindet.

29. Strömungstechnische Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 25, welche weiterhin ein Richtelement in der oberen Fläche (24) des genannten Einsatzes (18) aufweist.

30. Strömungstechnische Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 28, bei der der Abstand zwischen dem unteren Ende des genannten Verbindungsdurchgangs (54) und demjenigen Punkt, an dem das genannte Einlassrohr (14) in den genannten unteren Strömungsweg (30) eintritt, unter Berücksichtigung der Lage des Richtelements in der genannten oberen Aussenfläche (24) angepasst ist.

31. Strömungstechnische Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 25, bei der der genannte Einsatz (18) aus einem Kunststoff geformt ist, und bei der der genannte Abstand zwischen dem unteren Ende des genannten Verbindungskanals (54) der Strömungswege und demjenigen Punkt, an dem das genannte Einlassrohr (14) im genannten unteren Strömungsweg (30) mündet, derart gewählt ist, dass die Stelle von Berührungspunkten (46) an die Auswerferstifte angepasst ist, die beim Spritzgiessen des genannten Einsatzes (18) auftreten.

32. Strömungstechnische Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 30, bei der der genannte Einsatz (18) aus einem Kunststoff geformt ist, und bei der der genannte Abstand zwischen dem unteren Ende des genannten Verbindungskanals (54) der Strömungswege und demjenigen Punkt, an dem das genannte Einlassrohr (14) im genannten unteren Strömungsweg (30) mündet, derart gewählt ist, dass die Stelle von Berührungspunkten (46) an die Auswerferstifte angepasst ist, die beim Spritzgiessen des genannten Einsatzes (18) auftreten.

33. Strömungstechnische Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 25, bei der der genannte untere Strömungsweg (30) ein Filtermittel aufweist, welches sich zwischen demjenigen Punkt, an dem das genannte Einlassrohr (14) im genannten unteren Strömungsweg (30) mündet, und der Leistungsdüse im genannten unteren Strömungsweg befindet.

34. Strömungstechnische Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 31, bei welcher der Kunststoff, aus dem der genannte Einsatz (18) geformt ist, ein Polycarbonat-PBT-Kunststoff ist.

35. Verfahren zur Herstellung eines strömungstechnischen Einsatzes (18), welcher unter Druck ein Fluid durch ein Fluideinlassrohr (14) zugeführt erhält und welcher mehr als einen Fluidspray erzeugt, der den genannten Einsatz verlässt, wobei das Herstellungsverfahren folgende Schritte aufweist:

Formen eines Körpers (22) mit einer oberen, einer unteren, einer vorderen und einer hinteren Aussenfläche,

Formen eines oberen Fluidströmungswegs (28), der sich mindestens zum Teil in der genannten oberen Aussenfläche befindet,

Formen eines unteren Fluidströmungsweges (30), der sich zumindest teilweise in der genannten unteren Aussenfläche befindet,

wobei jeder der genannten Fluidströmungswege mindestens eine Leistungsdüse (32), eine Wechselwirkungskammer (34) stromabwärts von der genannten Düse und einen stromabwärts von der genannten Wechselwirkungskammer (34) gelegenen Auslass (36) aufweist, wobei der Ausgang dieses Auslasses in der genannten Vorderfläche des Körpers liegt,

wobei ein Teil der Fläche des unteren Strömungswegs (30) stromaufwärts von der genannten Leistungsdüse (32) liegt und derart eingerichtet ist, dass er zu einem Fluideinlassrohr (14) passt, welches dem genannten Einsatz das Fluid zuführt, und

Formen eines Verbindungskanals (42) der Strömungswege, der eine Strömung von Fluid vom unteren Fluidströmungsweg (30) zum oberen Fluidströmungsweg (28) ermöglicht, wobei das untere Ende des genannten Verbindungskanals derart angeordnet ist, dass es stromabwärts vom genannten Punkt liegt, an dem das genannte Einlassrohr (14) in den genannten unteren Strömungsweg (30) mündet, sowie stromaufwärts von der genannten Leistungsdüse im unteren Strömungsweg, und wobei das obere Ende des genannten Verbindungskanals (42) stromaufwärts von der genannten Leistungsdüse im oberen Strömungsweg liegt.

36. Verfahren zur Herstellung eines strömungstechnischen Einsatzes nach Anspruch 35, welches weiterhin den Verfahrensschritt des Formens eines Verbindungsdurchganges (54) umfasst, der die Wechselwirkungskammern der genannten Strömungswege verbindet.

Revendications

1. Insert d'écoulement qui reçoit un fluide sous pression d'un tube d'admission de fluide (14) et génère une distribution spatiale spécifique du fluide qui quitte ledit insert (18), ledit insert comprenant:

un corps (22) présentant des surfaces externes supérieure (24), inférieure (26), antérieure et postérieure,

un premier circuit d'écoulement (28) situé dans ledit corps,

un deuxième circuit d'écoulement (30) situé dans ledit corps,

dans lequel chacun de ces circuits d'écoulement présente une buse (32) et une sortie (36) située en aval de ladite buse, l'endroit de la sortie se trouvant dans ladite surface antérieure du corps,
ledit deuxième circuit (30) ayant une partie d'entrée située en amont de ladite buse et adaptée à recevoir un tube d'admission (14) de fluide qui fournit du fluide audit insert,
un passage d'écoulement inter-circuits (42) qui permet un flux de fluide du deuxième circuit fluidique (30) au premier circuit fluidique (28), le bout inférieur dudit passage (42) étant situé de telle sorte que ce bout inférieur est en aval dudit point où ledit tube d'admission (14) rencontre ledit deuxième circuit (30), et en amont de ladite buse du deuxième circuit, le bout supérieur dudit passage (42) étant situé en amont de ladite buse du premier circuit.

2. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 1, dans lequel lesdits circuits d'écoulement sont choisis dans le groupe composé des circuits à écoulement statique et des circuits fluidiques.

3. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 1, dans lequel ledit premier circuit d'écoulement est situé au moins en partie dans ladite surface supérieure du corps, et ledit deuxième circuit d'écoulement est situé au moins en partie dans ladite surface inférieure du corps.

4. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 1, comprenant en plus
un moyen d'alignement situé dans la surface supérieure dudit insert.

5. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 3, lesdits circuits d'écoulement étant des circuits fluidiques,
chacun desdits circuits fluidiques ayant au moins une buse de puissance (32), une chambre d'interaction (34) en aval de cette buse, une sortie (36) en aval de ladite chambre d'interaction (34) et dont l'ouverture est située dans ladite surface antérieure dudit corps,
une partie de la surface dudit circuit inférieur (30) étant située en amont de ladite buse de puissance et agencée de telle façon qu'elle peut recevoir un tube d'amenée de fluide (14) qui fournit du fluide audit insert (18), et
le dit insert ayant de plus un passage d'écoulement inter-circuits (42) qui permet un flux de fluide du circuit fluidique inférieur (30) au circuit fluidique supérieur (28), le bout inférieur dudit passage (42) étant situé de telle sorte que ce bout inférieur est en aval dudit point où ledit tube d'admission (14) rencontre ledit circuit inférieur (30), et en amont de ladite buse de puissance du circuit inférieur, le bout supérieur dudit passage (42) étant situé en amont de ladite buse de puissance du circuit supérieur.

6. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 5, comprenant en plus un passage de connexion (54) qui relie les chambres d'interaction desdits circuits.

7. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 5, comprenant en plus un moyen d'alignement situé dans la surface supérieure dudit insert.

8. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 7, dans lequel la distance entre le bout inférieur dudit passage inter-circuits (54) et ledit point où ledit tube d'admission (14) rencontre ledit circuit inférieur (30) est adaptée pour aménager la place dudit moyen d'alignement dans ladite surface supérieure (24).

9. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 5, dans lequel
ledit insert (18) est formé à partir d'un plastique, et
ladite distance entre le bout inférieur dudit passage inter-circuits (54) et ledit point où ledit tube d'admission (14) rencontre ledit circuit inférieur (30) est adaptée pour aménager la place de points de contact (46) avec les broches d'éjecteur utilisées lors du moulage dudit insert (18).

10. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 8, dans lequel
ledit insert (18) est formé à partir d'un plastique, et
ladite distance entre le bout inférieur dudit passage inter-circuits (54) et ledit point où ledit tube d'admission (14) rencontre ledit circuit inférieur (30) est adaptée en plus pour aménager la place de points de contact (46) avec les broches d'éjecteur utilisées lors du moulage dudit insert (18).

11. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 5, dans lequel
ledit circuit fluidique inférieur (30) possède un moyen de filtre situé entre ledit point où ledit tube d'admission (14) rencontre ledit circuit inférieur (30), et ladite buse de puissance du circuit inférieur.

12. Insert fluidique (18) selon la revendication 9, dans lequel ledit insert est moulé à partir de polycarbonate-PBT (téréphtalate de polybutylène).

13. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 3, dans lequel:

ledit premier circuit d'écoulement (28) est situé à proximité de ladite surface supérieure dudit corps (22), et ledit deuxième circuit d'écoulement (30) est situé à proximité de ladite surface inférieure dudit corps, et

lesdits circuits d'écoulement comprenant une première chambre d'interaction (34) située entre ladite buse et la sortie.

14. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 13, dans lequel:

ledit premier circuit d'écoulement (28) est configuré de telle façon qu'un jet est produit ayant un angle d'éventail horizontal spécifié, et

ledit deuxième circuit d'écoulement (30) est configuré de telle façon qu'un jet est produit ayant un angle d'éventail horizontal plus grand ou plus petit que celui dudit angle d'éventail horizontal spécifié dudit premier circuit d'écoulement.

15. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 25o13, dans lequel:

lesdits circuits d'écoulement étant configurés de telle manière que les lignes médianes des angles desdits premier et deuxième circuits sont éloignées l'une de l'autre d'une distance spécifiée de façon à produire un angle vertical prescrit et compris entre les jets de fluide provenant desdits circuits.

16. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 13, dans lequel:

le plancher dudit premier circuit d'écoulement (28) est configuré près de ladite sortie pour présenter un biseau inversé, et

le plafond dudit deuxième circuit d'écoulement (30) est configuré près de ladite sortie pour présenter un biseau inversé.

17. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 13, comprenant en plus:

une plaque de couverture supérieure pour couvrir et joindre le plafond dudit premier circuit d'écoulement (28), l'épaisseur de ladite plaque présentant un biseau près de l'extrémité aval de ladite plaque.

18. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 13 ou 17, comprenant en plus:

une plaque de couverture inférieure pour couvrir et joindre le plancher dudit deuxième circuit d'écoulement, l'épaisseur de ladite plaque présentant un biseau près de l'extrémité aval de ladite plaque.

19. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 13, dans lequel:

lesdits circuits d'écoulement contiennent en plus une deuxième chambre d'interaction avec une île, ladite deuxième chambre d'interaction étant située en aval de la première chambre d'interaction et avant ladite sortie.

20. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 13, dans lequel:

la partie du toit de ladite sortie du premier circuit d'écoulement comporte une encoche d'une dimension spécifiée.

21. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 13 ou 20, dans lequel:

la partie du plancher de ladite sortie du deuxième circuit d'écoulement comporte une encoche d'une dimension spécifiée.

22. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 13, dans lequel:

ledit premier circuit d'écoulement est configuré tel que le jet de fluide provenant de celui-ci présente un angle de lacet prescrit par rapport à la ligne médiane dudit circuit.

23. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 13, dans lequel:

ledit deuxième circuit d'écoulement est configuré tel que le jet de fluide provenant de celui-ci présente un angle de lacet prescrit par rapport à la ligne médiane dudit circuit.

24. Insert d'écoulement selon la revendication 13, comprenant en plus:

un passage de connexion qui relie lesdites premières chambres d'interaction desdits circuits l'une à l'autre.

25. Dispositif fluidique qui reçoit un fluide sous pression d'un tube d'admission de fluide (14) et génère une distribution spatiale spécifique du fluide qui quitte ledit dispositif, le dispositif comprenant:

un insert d'écoulement (18),selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes,

un boîtier (10) renfermant une cavité (20) adaptée pour recevoir ledit insert fluidique (18), ladite cavité présentant des surfaces adaptées pour s'apparier à une partie des surfaces extérieures dudit insert afin d'empêcher des fuites de fluide par de telles surfaces appariées, ledit boîtier comprenant un tube de boîtier (14) qui permet au fluide de s'écouler à partir d'une entrée au bout inférieur dudit tube et dans ladite cavité,

dispositif dans lequel ledit insert (18) comporte:

un circuit fluidique supérieur (28) situé au moins en partie dans ladite surface supérieure,

un circuit fluidique inférieur (30) situé au moins en partie dans ladite surface inférieure,

chacun desdits circuits fluidiques ayant au moins une buse de puissance (32), une chambre d'interaction (34) en aval de cette buse, une sortie (36) en aval de ladite chambre d'interaction (34) et dont l'ouverture est située dans ladite surface antérieure dudit corps,
une partie de la surface dudit circuit inférieur (30) étant située en amont de ladite buse de puissance et agencée de telle façon qu'elle peut recevoir un tube d'amenée de fluide (14) qui fournit du fluide audit insert, et
un passage d'écoulement inter-circuits (42) qui permet un flux de fluide du circuit fluidique inférieur (30) au circuit fluidique supérieur (28), le bout inférieur dudit passage (42) étant situé de telle sorte que ce bout inférieur est en aval dudit point où ledit tube d'admission (14) rencontre ledit circuit inférieur (30), et en amont de ladite buse de puissance du circuit inférieur, le bout supérieur dudit passage (42) étant situé en amont de ladite buse de puissance du circuit supérieur.

26. Dispositif fluidique selon la revendication 25, comprenant en plus:

une soupape de contrôle (12) située à l'intérieur dudit tube de boîtier (14).

27. Dispositif fluidique selon la revendication 26, comprenant en plus:

un coude (16) qui se raccorde au bout inférieur dudit tube de boîtier (14).

28. Dispositif fluidique selon la revendication 25, comprenant en plus:

un passage de connexion (54) qui relie les chambres d'interaction desdits circuits.

29. Dispositif fluidique selon la revendication 25, comprenant en plus
un moyen d'alignement situé dans la surface supérieure (24) dudit insert (18).

30. Dispositif fluidique selon la revendication 28, dans lequel la distance entre le bout inférieur dudit passage inter-circuits (54) et ledit point où ledit tube d'admission (14) rencontre ledit circuit inférieur (30) est adaptée pour aménager la place dudit moyen d'alignement dans ladite surface supérieure (24).

31. Dispositif fluidique selon la revendication 25, dans lequel
ledit insert (18) est formé à partir d'un plastique, et
ladite distance entre le bout inférieur dudit passage inter-circuits (54) et ledit point où ledit tube d'admission (14) rencontre ledit circuit inférieur (30) est adaptée pour aménager la place de points de contact (46) avec les broches d'éjecteur utilisées lors du moulage dudit insert (18).

32. Dispositif fluidique selon la revendication 30, dans lequel
ledit insert (18) est formé à partir d'un plastique, et
ladite distance entre le bout inférieur dudit passage inter-circuits (54) et ledit point où ledit tube d'admission (14) rencontre ledit circuit inférieur (30) est adaptée en plus pour aménager la place de points de contact (46) avec les broches d'éjecteur utilisées lors du moulage dudit insert (18).

33. Dispositif fluidique selon la revendication 25, dans lequel
ledit circuit fluidique inférieur (30) possède un moyen de filtre situé entre ledit point où ledit tube d'admission (14) rencontre ledit circuit inférieur (30), et ladite buse de puissance du circuit inférieur.

34. Dispositif fluidique selon la revendication 31, dans lequel ledit insert (18) est moulé à partir d'une matière plastique de polycarbonate-PBT (téréphtalate de polybutylène).

35. Procédé de fabrication d'un insert fluidique (18) qui reçoit un fluide sous pression d'un tube d'admission de fluide (14) et génère plus d'un jet de fluide sortant dudit insert, procédé comprenant les étapes suivantes:

moulage d'un corps (22) présentant des surfaces externes supérieure, inférieure, antérieure et postérieure,

moulage d'un circuit fluidique supérieur (28) situé au moins en partie dans ladite surface supérieure,

moulage d'un circuit fluidique inférieur (30) situé au moins en partie dans ladite surface inférieure,

dans lequel chacun des ces circuits fluidiques comporte au moins une buse de puissance (32), une chambre d'interaction (34) en aval de cette buse, une sortie (36) en aval de ladite chambre d'interaction (34) et dont l'ouverture est située dans ladite surface antérieure dudit corps,

une partie de la surface dudit circuit inférieur (30) étant située en amont de ladite buse de puissance (32) et agencée de telle façon qu'elle peut recevoir un tube d'amenée de fluide (14) qui fournit du fluide audit insert, et
moulage d'un passage d'écoulement inter-circuits (42) qui permet un flux de fluide du circuit fluidique inférieur (30) au circuit fluidique supérieur (28), le bout inférieur dudit passage étant situé de telle sorte que ce bout inférieur est en aval dudit point où ledit tube d'admission (14) rencontre ledit circuit inférieur (30), et en amont de ladite buse de puissance du circuit inférieur, le bout supérieur dudit passage (42) étant situé en amont de ladite buse de puissance du circuit supérieur.

36. Procédé de fabrication d'un insert fluidique selon la revendication 35, comprenant en plus
l'étape de moulage d'un passage de connexion (54) qui relie les chambres d'interaction desdits circuits.

Drawing